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Asterion groaned and laughed, setting me on my toes but finding himself still caught in my arms. "Conall exaggerated. Iwasbusy then, I swear. As if I could've really avoided being near you."
I sighed at that, not consoled but appeased at least. My arms slid slowly from around the broadest shoulders of my acquaintance, and I fought the urge to turn away and go running, sobbing, back into the castle.
"Settle Conall's bond," Asterion whispered to me, waggling his brow. "He'll be intolerable until you do."
Conall and Hywelhadbeen keeping me close at hand to an almost obsessive degree. With Asterion gone for a few days—I refused to accept it would be longer—and Laszlo a patient saint, it would be a good time to come to terms with my two other mates.
Come to terms with myself, I admitted. Hywel had already said he was ready. Conall…was less clear. He had his own concerns over matehood, considering his parents. I wasn't sure now if that was still the source of reluctance, or if he was waiting on me.
"Be as sweet to yourself as I would," Asterion added, standing straight.
I sniffed. "We'll see. That's your job now."
He laughed and I caught my breath at the warm sound, a cheerful flush on my cheeks. Asterion and I were usually so serious with one another. It was a giddy surprise to flirt with him, to make him laugh. I didn't want to stop. He caught my hands before they could tighten on his collar. Esther and Hazel were being gathered into the arms of their lovers, who would remain here at the castle. It was time for my minotaur to leave.
"Be safe," I choked out.
"I promise," Asterion said solemnly, dragging his gaze away from mine with a furrow on his brow. He looked over my shoulder, nodding behind me, and gentle hands reached out to pry me away from him.
I shuddered, swallowing hard on the sob that tried to rise in my throat, and let Laszlo's soothing scent and careful embrace surround me.
One by one, the familiar figures of the monsters in front of us shifted. Ronan shrugged on a coat, losing his brilliantly red skin, horns, and wings. Amon shrugged his shoulders, his own wings and tail vanishing, slightly furred brow smoothing into gleaming brown skin. Hunter winked at Hazel, donning a hat and transforming into a handsome, human version of himself. Ezra remained invisible, however, a secret addition to their party.
Asterion's white gloves were in his hand, our gazes held.
"Go inside,théa," he said softly.
I nodded, knowing this was the last true look I'd see of him before he left, and turned away, allowing the others to shepherd me into the cool stone walls of the castle.
* * *
"Isn't that enough?"Conall snapped, glaring jealously at the little jar of blood Dr. Underwood was collecting from me.
Underwood gaped slightly, glancing at me. I shook my head, offering him a shallow smile. "I'm fine, really."
"Auguste will bring her and Laszlo a platter of treats in a moment," Esther assured Conall, watching from the edge of the room.
Hywel stood like a gargoyle at my back, no doubt measuring every drop that left me.
"I appreciate your cooperation," Underwood said to me, nodding his head to Laszlo to include him in the gratitude. He did not look up at Hywel, who had flatly refused to share any of his blood for "dubious experiments."
"I suspect divinity blood may have an entire category of its own, although this will be my first chance at finding any evidence," Underwood continued.
"Happy to help," I said, shrugging the shoulder not in use. I didn't understand exactly what the doctor's goal was, or if he was only naturally curious, but it didn't matter to me what a trusted source might find.
"Evanthia," Conall rasped, eyeing the nearly full bottle desperately.
"All done," Underwood said, looking a tad harassed as he pressed a swab of clean cotton to the small nick he'd cut in my arm.
Conall and Hywel both groaned in relief, and a giggle escaped my lips at their antics before Hywel arched over me, snatching my face in his hands and pulling my mouth roughly to his. I squeaked into the kiss, but Hywel knew me too well, and with a nip and teasing lick I was melting under his touch. I moaned and shivered as his tongue slid between my lips, coiling eagerly around my own with a length that was closer to his dragon form than his human one.Néktarlapped sweetly between us, and I stretched to chase his mouth, my hands fluttering in front of me before catching his shoulders in my grip. He pulled away as Esther murmured "Oh my" from her own seat and then smiled smugly down at me.
"What was that for?" I asked, breathless and blinking.
Hywel stroked his hand down my arm and then flicked away the cotton Dr. Underwood had pressed to my wound.
Underwood cried out, looking at my spotless inner elbow. "Oh! But how—"
Hywel cut him off, speaking through gritted teeth. "Not. Now."
